MANILA, Philippines - Millennials on Wednesday, July 6, joined the campaign against the burial of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Photo Credit: Facebook/Martial Law Chronicles

“Just as the young people during the 70s and 80s answered the call to fight against the Marcos dictatorship, the generation of today must answer the call to fight against the Marcoses' efforts to twist history in their favor. History witnessed how his regime killed not only the country's best and brightest young people, but also the country's best chance to have a bright future. Rewarding his sins with a hero's burial is unacceptable,” said Bea Reyno of the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines.

Youth leaders laid stones with the names of their fellow youth and student leaders who became heroes and martyrs at the foot of the UP Oblation --- the monument which served witness to the Diliman Commune where stundents from the University of the Philippines barricaded the University Avenue in protest of the oil price hike in the 1970s.

“The young people who gave up their lives to fight against Martial law are the real heroes. Young people like Leo Alto who died at 23, Emmanuel Alvarez who died at 27, Jan Quimpo who died at 23. We must not let them down. We honor them by telling their stories. We honor them by continuing their fight. We honor them by not letting Marcos be buried as a hero,” said Magnolia Del Rosario of UP Alyansa, also a student councilor from UP Diliman.

The youth also called on their fellow millennials to read more about the stories of heroism during the Martial law and be critical with the information that they receive on the internet.

“We are the generation that grew up in a world fueled by information. We while our time by using up our free data. As young leaders, it is our task to sift through the cloud of articles online and distinguish good and truthful content. Our most potent weapon against historical revisionism is our insatiable curiosity, our determined quest for the truth,” concluded Reyno.

The activity was joined by former CHR Chairperson Loretta “Etta” Rosales, along with other ML activists and prominent human rights defenders. Participating groups include Martial Law Chronicles Project, Alyansa UP Diliman, Akbayan Youth, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, Bukluran UP System, Center for Youth Advocacy and Networking, and Filipinos against Historical Revisionism, Claimants 1081, Task Force Detainess, PAHRA, SAMASA Alumni, students from FEU, PUP, UP Cebu, UP Diliman, UP Manila, and Bantayog ng mga Bayani. Similar activities were also held yesterday at UP Baguio and Silliman University.

This solemn action follows the #BawatBato activity done last 26th of July at the proposed gravesite of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.